A supplement of:
CONCRETE REPORT ConCreTe TeChnology How coMputeR desiGn is plAyinG A lARGeR Role in concRete desiGn And constRuction ConCreTe pumps MAnufActuReRs discuss tHeiR plAns foR 2018
Taking The nexT sTep
Golden Ready-Mix provides a sneak peek of its new facility in Al Quoz
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Introduction
A supplement of:
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The Next Step
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ello again, and welcome to the 2018 edition of the Concrete Report, this time coming to you a little earlier than usual. With the launch of The Big 5 Heavy as a stand-alone, largescale exhibition this month, we thought it would only be right to mark the occasion by making sure that the Concrete Report 2018 was on shelves at the show, especially with Middle East Concrete being such a large part of the three-day event. Be sure to check out our Show Preview, which will have a rundown of everything that’s happening at The Big 5, including information about the various events and conferences taking place during the show. Additionally, we’ve got some top-quality insight from some of the concrete sector’s biggest names, who are unanimous about the fact that business is looking good as we move through 2018 and onwards to 2020 and beyond.
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Gavin Davids editor gavin.davids@cpimediagroup.com
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ADAPTING TO DEMAND Concrete Report 2018 1
Site Visit
Ready foR the Next Step Big Project ME speaks to E R Menon, CEO of Golden Ready-Mix, about the launch of the ready-mix supplier’s new facility in Al Quoz and the impact it will have on the company’s plans and performance. Gavin Davids reports
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Site Visit
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Site Visit
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n January 2018, Pinsent Masons released its GCC Construction Survey, an industry-wide study of sentiment in the industry for the year ahead. One of the most interesting take-aways that emerged from the study was that the UAE is expected to be the number one market to deliver construction growth in 2018, fuelled by projects related to Expo 2020. As a result of this surge in development, a number of ancillary industries have also benefited, chief among them the ready-mix supply sector. One such company looking to tap into this optimism and growth is Golden Ready-Mix, a Dubai ready-mix supplier that has invested heavily in itself as it looks to cement its place in the
Keeping busy E R Menon says the local construction market is likely to remain strong until 2020. After that, it is likely to see a certain drop in volume, but will continue to be active.
UAE construction industry. With the company planning to launch a brand-new facility in the Al Quoz area of Dubai, Big Project ME caught up with E R Menon, CEO, to discuss the impact of the plant, the opportunities in the market and his plans for the future. What are your views on the concrete sector in 2018?
The construction market is busy, in fact it’s very active and booming, I
Close to home The Al Quoz facility will cut down on travel time to Golden Ready-Mix’s projects due to its central location and easy access to Al Khail Road.
would say. Large new projects are being announced, with some likely to be completed before 2020. Others will continue for the next 10 to 15 years, projects like Deira Island, Dubai Creek Harbour and Dubai South – these are all longterm projects that will go beyond 2020. So for me the market will be very strong until the year 2020, but after that I expect to see a certain drop in volume, but that it will continue to be active.
How will the launch of the Al Quoz facility help Golden Ready-Mix secure its place in Dubai’s ready-mix market?
Al Quoz is a key area for our operations. It’s a centralised location from where we can service all of our projects in that area. With our facility in Jebel Ali, when you consider the traffic constraints and distance, it’s too far away. For example, we did a project in the Creek Harbour and the transit time was around one hour. Generally, concrete is given two hours from the time of batching until it is placed for usage on-site. So, out of those two hours, if one hour is spent just getting to site, then the contractor is left with just one hour to do the job. If I need to do a 5,000-cubic metre raft foundation in 20 hours, for example, then I will probably need 100 trucks on that job alone, while still supplying to other sites, which then becomes a constraint. Therefore, location is prime. We’re very close to National Cement Factory, and we can get onto Al Khail Road in less than five minutes – going in any direction from there is very easy. What challenges did you encounter during the development process for the Al Quoz plant? How are things progressing?
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Site Visit
The Al Quoz plant is central, but it was very difficult to get permission to operate a newly formed readymix plant. Our installation was also a bit slow because we were busy with other things, but finally the plant is almost ready – apart from some minor civil works that remain, everything else is done. We’ve got a twin batching plant which can theoretically do 360 cubic metres per hour, and about 280 cubic metres per hour of actual production. That’s quite good enough for that location. 280 cubic metres means that in 10 hours, we can do 2,800 cubic metres. I’m targeting that kind of daily production rate. What are your production targets for the plant?
I’m hoping that by the second week of March 2018, we’ll be operational. I need to call in Dubai Municipality and Central Labs to come and inspect the plant. By March 1, I want to start production. That’s the target. We’ve already finalised
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a few contracts in that area, so a moderate daily production target is already guaranteed, but the target is to do about a half million cubic metres there, by the end of this year. However, there is a certain size of market, and we will obviously be taking a share of that market wherever we are, however many trucks, pumps or plants we have. My target is not to go for volume. The more you go into increasing volume, the more you’ll need additional plants, equipment, and with that comes additional investments. Tomorrow, if the market goes down, we need to be in a situation where we’re not sitting around with huge overheads, which is what happened to companies during the crisis before. We want to reach an optimum level of business and production, and then try to improve prices, if possible. Can you discuss the investment and equipment that has gone into the plant? How do they measure up in terms of the industry standard?
“Our focus has always been on quality, on building a good name and reputation. We’re almost there, and we have some good and important projects in hand. We want to be known as one of the premium quality readymix suppliers in Dubai”
The civil works alone cost $2.72 million, those are almost complete now. We have a twin batching plant which necessarily has to go with two ice plants, the aggregate shortage and all those ancillary facilities. With the ice plant and all the other facilities, it’s another $2.72 million invested. Then when you look at the trucks and pumps and all the other equipment which has to be made available to service production, it’s about $11 million in total investment. The equipment is top of the range in terms of technology. We use German equipment, with some items from China. The Chinese manufacturer we use is Sany, which also owns Putzmeister in Germany, so they’re real quality suppliers. We also have two of the largest mobile pumps in Dubai, with 62m booms. I don’t know if anyone else has got them. I do know a lot of companies have 56m booms, and we also have two of them. We come from a ready-mix background, and I personally have
Site Visit
company in general?
top of the line E R Menon says Golden Ready-Mix has brought in some of the best equipment from around the world for its facility in Al Quoz.
been in this industry for more than 30 years. We know what equipment is ideal for our business, both in terms of value for money and in terms of servicing and running costs. We have now got a mixture of German plant machinery, trucks from Renault and Scania, while our pumps are both German and Chinese. The ice plants are also from Germany and China – it’s a mixture of good quality.
would need around 100 staff to keep it operational to its potential. Except for a few drivers and operators, the rest is all in place. Our focus has always been on quality, on building a good name and reputation. We’re almost there, and we have some good and important projects in hand. We want to be known as one of the premium quality ready-mix suppliers in Dubai. The company is now fully
operational. Even though the company was established in 2007, the management change only happened in 2015. We have some of the most experienced personnel in the industry, who have been involved in a number of prestigious and landmark projects in Dubai. We’re now in a good situation, and we want to build on that. What are your plans for future facilities and for the
We have a plant planned in Dubai Industrial City, but we have not commenced work there yet. Once we have finished with Al Quoz, we will be starting work there, as well as on a depot in Sharjah’s Al Hamriyah Free Zone. For Al Hamriyah, the land development is already done, it’s just the civil works and installation of the plant that needs to be done. I expect that to take three to four months. Approvals are in place, the land is ready, levelled, compacted and fenced. Everything is there. Dubai Industrial City plant is going to be a permanent location for us. We have a huge plot there and we have a huge complex planned. That will have a ready-mix facility, plus some areas for precast and for an Advanced Laboratory Centre. We aim to have the Al Quoz facility up and running in March 2018, the Al Hamriyah facility by June 2018, and by the end of the year everything else, including the facility in DIC, will be ready for operation.
How have you set up the Al Quoz plant to meet the latest government regulations and efficiency standards?
We are already under huge control checks from Dubai Municipality’s environmental department and other departments, for waste management and pollution control. The Al Quoz facility is being built while taking into consideration all these aspects. We want the plant to be as clean as possible. We won’t be contributing to pollution; in fact, we want to be as green as possible. Will the launch of the plant lead to an increase in hiring?
We are already adequately staffed, management-wise. The only additions will be drivers, operators and some supervisory staff. For the rest, everybody is there. The plant
environmental considerations The Al Quoz plant is being built with a number of environmental and pollution controls in place, limiting the amount of waste created.
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Concrete Protection
Protection of Concrete
Fabrizio Nicoli, commercial director at FILA Middle East, outlines how the Italian company is developing products to maintain the lifespan and performance of concrete A 2017 report by GrandView Research declared that the global ready-mix concrete market is expected to reach $954.7bn by 2024. When you consider that in 2015 it was valued at $492.2bn, and the Middle East and Africa region accounted for a 10.1% global share, it shows how essential concrete is and will be in the regional industry.
Concrete has long been regarded as a plain and unpretentious building material, especially from an aesthetic perspective. For this reason, it has been relegated to outdoor works, or to garages and ancillary rooms. However, the past few years have seen the emergence of microconcrete, a thin continuous coating without any interruptions such as grout lines or expansion joints, making it easier to manage and clean. In addition, microconcrete is only a few millimetres thick, which makes it particularly
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“Besides its aesthetic qualities, microcoating has the important function of hampering the build-up of dirt from foot traffic, making maintenance of the floor more effective and rapid�
suitable for renewing new environments, and can be applied to existing surfaces. However, whether you are using traditional or micro-concrete, concrete is a porous support that requires a special protective treatment to make it manageable. The surface must be treated with a stainproofing agent consisting of water/oil-repellent products. The treatment of indoor floors can also be completed with a finishing micro-coating. Besides its aesthetic qualities, micro-coating has the important function of hampering the build-up of dirt from foot traffic, making maintenance of the floor more effective and rapid. Moreover, it protects the material against surface wear, preserving its original aesthetic appearance over time. Indeed, in Europe, concrete is very often protected with this kind of solution. For instance, at IWM London, the flagship
branch of the Imperial War Museums, a FILA floor protection system was specified for the cementitious flooring of the heavy-traffic environment. Following installation, it was sealed with a nonfilm-forming treatment that protects against oil and stains without altering surface appearance, and our neutral detergent was chosen to maintain the cementitious floor, as the biodegradable detergent is pH-neutral and cleans without damaging the sealant or leaving a film. Applying a waterrepellent and a stainproofing solution after the concrete has been laid is not an unnecessary precaution. With a surface as porous as concrete, it can save both time and money. Time because once the surface is sealed, the cleaning process is much easier and faster: stains cannot penetrate the material and remain on the surface level, so they can be removed easily. It also saves
money, as less manpower is needed to clean the surface and you do not need specific machines to remove stubborn stains. I have often seen one or two maintenance personnel working hard on a difficult stain in concrete. They were using high-pressure cleaners and wasting a lot of water, which is precious in this region and costly. If the concrete floor had been properly sealed after laying, you would not have to deal with this kind of stain. I am sure some sceptics will say it is a superfluous cost, that if the concrete is stained or damaged, you can just pour a new layer over the old one and be done with it, but how often has that been done? Would you really close a whole car park or hightraffic area to lay a new coat of concrete? You would have to do it one section at a time, and it would be a complicated process when all that was needed was to apply a sealant in the first place.
Golden Ready Mix LLC
Jabel Ali Industrial Area 2 P.O.Box 171929, Dubai U.A.E Tel : 048804494
www.goldenreadymix.com
Case Study
Precision Pour
Big Project ME finds out how one of the UAE’s largest concrete pours – One Za’abeel – took place
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Case Study
In January, Dubai construction giant ALEC Engineering and Contracting oversaw one of the largest concrete pours in the UAE, marking the start of construction for One Za’abeel, a milestone development by Ithra Dubai, a wholly owned subsidiary of Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD).
restricted space The maximum number of pumps that could be used during the pour was eight, due to space constraints. Each mobile pump was connected to individual pipelines.
Located in the heart of Dubai, the developers intend for One Za’abeel to form a gateway between the old and new business districts of the city at the World Trade Centre roundabout. The project comprises two adjacent 57and 67-storey towers and will be constructed upon a retail podium. The towers will be connected by a cantilevered floor – The Linx – 100 metres above the ground. This concourse will be open to the public and will offer a range of amenities, including Michelin star restaurants and lounges. The three-storey podium at ground level – The Gallery – will house high-end retail outlets and leisure facilities. Overall, the mixed-use development will feature a high-end residential component (apartments in single or duplex formats), while also hosting commercial spaces for offices and multinationals. Furthermore, the project will include two luxury hotels for corporate visitors and affluent tourists, the developer adds. “With the appointment of ALEC Engineering and Contracting as the main contractor, the project has entered an exciting phase of construction. After the pour, it is only a matter of time before One Za’abeel and its Linx – the panoramic sky concourse traversing the two towers – reshape the ever-exciting Dubai skyline,” says Issam Galadari, director and CEO of Ithra Dubai. “One Za’abeel will present a new kind of sustainable development for residents,
tenants and visitors alike, offering an elevated lifestyle.” With site excavation, foundation works, shoring and piling works completed and construction of seven subterranean levels underway, the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020, by which time it will encompass a total of 480,000sqm. “One Za’abeel is a fantastic development that will test the skills of building. We are proud to be working alongside Ithra Dubai and the consultants to make this world-class project a success,” adds Kez Taylor, CEO of ALEC. Lasting an estimated 132 hours, the pour in January marked the beginning of construction for the project, with 26,000m3 of concrete poured over a 7,600sqm raft foundation footprint. As the main contractor, ALEC was tasked with overseeing the pour and the logistics behind it. Considering the volume to be poured, ALEC’s project team decided to use three batching plants in the Al Quoz Industrial Area, along with two batching plants in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area. “The travel time from Al Quoz batch plants to the project is around 40 minutes, while from the Jebel Ali plants to site, it is around 50 minutes,” the team adds, in a pour plan provided to Big Project ME. “Due to the space constraints, the maximum number of pumps that could be used was restricted to eight. Each mobile pump was connected to individual pipelines (100m approximately), and out of eight pumps, three mobile pumps were connected to 13m radius mechanical distributors.” Dubai cement manufacturer CEMEX Top Mix was the supplier on the project, providing concrete grades of C75/20 OPC + GGBS + MS752M7X4-4-U92D. It also deployed 98 truck mixers to
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Case Study
contingency plans ALEC had emergency risk management plans in place during the pour, including at the plants, in case of unforeseen breakdowns.
“We prepared the pour plan with all sorts of minute details – including the names of people working on each team. We started every day with meetings up to foreman level one week before the pour, to make sure everyone was aware about the activities they had to do” site for the pour, the team adds: “The raft foundation, which has 16,101m3 of concrete, was placed in one continuous pour. The concrete was supplied from CEMEX Top Mix’s batch plants located in Al Quoz and Jebel Ali. The batching plants are DCLcertified, and are monitored for continued compliance with the checklist for ready-mix concrete production facilities.”
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Given the scale of the operation, ALEC adds that there were emergency risk management plans in place in case of plant failure or any other delays in operations, explaining that all the CEMEX plants function independently of each other, with each plant backed up by standby generators. In the event of any unforeseen breakdowns, there were mechanical and
electrical staff on standby throughout the raft pour to ensure that immediate action was taken. Furthermore, CEMEX had put in place contingency plans to divert production to other plants if necessary. “The first concrete pour for the project was the biggest one and hence it was the real challenge,” says a spokesperson from ALEC in response to questions from Big
Project ME. “We prepared the pour plan with all sorts of minute details – including the names of people working on each team. We started every day with meetings up to foreman level one week before the pour, to make sure everyone was aware about the activities they had to do. One day before the pour, we explained to each team up to the labour level what each person would have to do,”
Case Study
he adds, outlining the planning that went into the project. “Meetings with the concrete supplier started one month before. We gathered all vehicle details to get permissions from the RTA to continue the concrete supply during the traffic ban hours. A couple of days before the pour, our team visited the concrete plants to make sure that significant quantities of ingredients were in storage, including the capacity of their ice plant.” According to the pour plan, before the trucks left the batching plant, checkpoint technicians were required to sample each mix at not less than one set of six cubes for every 250m3 of each type of mix being produced, or as specified according to the concrete volume. At the project site, ALEC had two centralised checkpoints where the fresh concrete could be sampled and tested before the truck mixers reached the concrete pumps. The team planned for 70% of the trucks to be tested at the first checkpoint, with the balance tested at the second checkpoint, to ensure a
smooth traffic flow. The delivery temperature of the concrete was set at 26 degrees Celsius, while the maximum slump allowed was 220 +/- 25mm. Eight thermometers and eight slump tests were done. When the measured values were within allowable limits, the site technicians cast the cubes with a frequency specified by the consultant. The cubes were cured on-site and then sent to an approved third-party laboratory for durability and strength testing. The addition of water at the slump rack was strictly prohibited, with the slump adjusted by adding an admixture, in accordance with the specification. Once sampling and testing were completed, the QA/ QC inspector commented on the results in the delivery certification/pouring log and the trucks could then move forward to the pumping location. There, the pump supervisor met the trucks and checked the delivery certificate comments. Only approved trucks were allowed to proceed further to the mobile pump for pouring.
“The concrete mix is designed to have high flow to get it through the congested reinforcement, which is managed through the addition of admixtures,” says the ALEC spokesperson. “In order to retain the workability for a couple of extra hours, retarders were added as well. These additives enhanced the performance of the concrete, without affecting the concrete properties.” ALEC says the pouring was done layer by layer, with each layer measured at 40cm x 150cm strips, while pockets of 250mm x 250mm at 5m intervals were made through top reinforcement, to allow flexible hoses to reach the mid-raft level. Four temporary manholes of 600mm x 600mm were also made at the top reinforcement in different locations, to give the pouring team access to the inside of the raft. Working in coordination, the pumping teams worked on different sections of the pour until they reached the top layers, following which the openings in the top reinforcement were closed back up.
The ALEC team adds that concreting did not take place in ambient shade temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius. Above that temperature, formwork and reinforcement was kept shaded before and during the concreting. Temperature measurements were made via thermocouples positioned at locations agreed and approved by the site engineers. A laboratory technician was present throughout the concrete pour to ensure that no damage occurred to any of the installed thermocouple wires, ALEC adds. The smooth finishing of the surface was done by power float machines immediately after the concrete achieved its initial setting time, as per the specification and architectural layout drawings. Once this was completed, the surface was cured with water and hessian cloth. The concrete surface was covered by polythene sheets and polystyrene insulation boards to prevent heat loss, which would result in an increased temperature gradient.
Working in coordination The pumping teams worked in coordination on different sections of the pour until they reached the top layers, following which the openings in the top reinforcement were closed back up.
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Technology
Verifying Quality
Big Project ME speaks to GCP Applied Technologies about how its Verifi In-transit Concrete Management system can improve the quality and performance of ready-mix suppliers In August 2016, GCP Applied Technologies announced that it had completed the acquisition of all intellectual property and related assets within SensoCrete, a Canadian technology company operating in the ready-mix concrete industry.
This was significant because the American company said it
ProduCT deTAIlS: Verifi sensors and controls on the truck measure, manage and record: Slump Temperature Load size Age Water Admixture Drum speed Revolutions
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intended to use SensoCrete’s patented probe technology to augment its own Verifi Intransit Concrete Management system, which uses sensors installed on ready-mix trucks to measure, manage and record concrete properties in transit. Using cloud-based technology, Verifi customers are able to
connect with real-time data to monitor and improve the quality and performance of concrete, increase productivity and accelerate job completion. By incorporating SensoCrete technology into the existing Verifi system, which has been around since 2010, GCP Technologies aims to extend the number and
type of concrete properties measured, offering ready-mix customers a great range of accurate data and a significant commercial advantage. With more than 22,000 ongoing projects worth $2.5 trillion across the GCC construction sector, there is a clear need for technology to
Technology
allow the industry to maximise its market potential across the board – operationally, commercially and quality-wise. Already operational in the US, GCP Technologies now intends to expand the reach of its Verifi systems. Laith Haboubi, regional business director - Middle East, Turkey, Africa and India for GCP Technologies, spoke to Big Project ME about how it intends to carve out a niche in the market. “Global expansion of the Verifi system is currently underway,” says Haboubi. “The positive feedback we have received from the Middle East would indicate a strong need for intelligent monitoring and management systems in the regional ready-mix concrete industry. We have presented to several customers who have all been very interested in pursuing the technology further. We will continue our sales process in the Middle East, leading to our first customer in that market.” Describing the Verifi InTransit Concrete Management system as an “innovative technology” and the “only one of its kind in the marketplace”, Haboubi explains that the system monitors, measures and manages concrete slump and other properties from batch plant to job-site. “It provides visibility to data in real time to help producers and contractors consistently meet target concrete specifications, while lowering production costs and reducing waste. Every managed load of concrete arrives at the job-site within specification, ready to be discharged without any manual adjustments.” He adds that the generated data and analytics, supplemented by the construction materials expertise provided by GCP
field technical experts, means ready-mix producers can attain greater efficiencies in materials management and operations productivity, allowing producers to provide more value to their customers. “The visibility into operations provided by the Verifi system provides the ready-mix producers the opportunity to make improvements around asset utilisation, mix design optimisation and job-site performance metrics. Additionally, Verifi in-transit managed concrete has the highest quality. “With an installation of Verifi, customer savings will vary, but we estimate producers could realise savings of $3-5 per cubic metre. Importantly, improved service, quality and a differentiated offering to the market could result in additional market share and revenue. “Another benefit of the Verifi In-Transit Concrete Management system is the positive impact on sustainability. We estimate that with better mix design optimisation and more consistent quality concrete production, there is potential for reduction in cement usage, reduction in fuel usage from less high-speed revolutions and reduction in waste from less returned concrete. All of these have a positive impact in helping to reduce the CO2 contributions derived from more sustainable concrete production.” Haboubi adds that all data generated is owned by the readymix producer and stored securely in the cloud. Furthermore, clients have the ability to access data in real time through a browserbased portal that couples limited reporting, an executive dashboard and the ability to send real-time messages to and from the truck.
“With an installation of Verifi, customer savings will vary, but we estimate producers could realise savings of $3-5 per cubic metre. Importantly, improved service, quality and a differentiated offering to the market could result in additional market share and revenue”
“Access to real-time data in transit is the key that allows Verifi users to effectively monitor and manage their product and impact performance and quality. GCP field service personnel partners with ready-mix producers to analyse and communicate the data that leads to actionable decisions to generate positive business impact.” Finally, Haboubi points out that work is constantly underway to improve the performance of the programme and find new ways to contribute more value to the ready-mix ecosystem. In December 2017, GCP completed the acquisition of the quality control assets and related intellectual property of Contek Shilstone, another Canadian technology company that specialises in quality control software in the ready-mix industry. The combination of Contek’s quality control software and GCP’s technologies will offer customers visibility into batch plant to job-site performance metrics. Data insights and analytics will equip concrete producers with valuable information to improve concrete quality, save time and reduce costs. “We recently undertook a significant hardware upgrade to enhance our hardware and expand our market reach. The acquisition of Contek (Labsys) allows GCP to provide a differentiated offering of products, systems and data analytics to help our customers consistently perform at optimal capabilities. We are excited to offer our customers in the region technology that will transform the way they can monitor, measure and manage their product for the best outcome,” Haboubi concludes.
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Technology
Accurate deflection calculations In any building design, providing the team with accurate deflection calculations for concrete floors is an important aspect of the serviceability design of the floor.
AccurAte Deflection cAlculAtions for concrete floors
Jonathan Hirsch, structural software development manager with Bentley Systems, explains how computer design is playing a larger role than ever in concrete design and construction 16 Concrete Report 2018
Technology
instrumental in design Having tools that provide automated concrete design and detailing is instrumental in helping structural engineers design concrete structures quickly and more efficiently.
Concrete design and construction is playing a larger role than ever in expanding global cities, which has brought about challenges and advances. An important aspect of concrete design is deflection calculations, and many applications available can help with accuracy. Here are a few things to consider before making your choice.
In any building design, providing the team with accurate deflection calculations for concrete floors is an important
aspect of the serviceability design of the floor. If deflections are excessive, they can damage nonstructural items attached to the floor, which would be a source of concern for the building’s occupants. As building designs employ modern high-strength materials which result in thinner spanning members, the need for accurate deflection calculations is even more important for these deflection-sensitive floors. Factors that must be considered when predicting
accurate deflections include cracking, tension stiffening (and degradation over time), creep, shrinkage, internal restraint from reinforcement and associated shrinkage warping, external restraint (from rigid walls, for example) and load history. To complicate matters, many of the influencing factors are interrelated. For example, shrinkage can affect cracking, and cracking can subsequently affect creep. The simplest codified approaches to predict deflections
use span-to-depth ratio limits to prevent detailed deflection calculations. However, these methods are crude and tend to be conservative, and don’t account for many of the important influencing factors mentioned above. Therefore, it is frequently possible to use thinner members by performing detailed calculations. While modern computer programs allow more detailed calculations, many do not capture all the important behaviours. For
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Technology
Maximising system efficiency Using available deflection calculation technology and sound engineering judgement, deflection design and evaluation can be carried out in a way to maximise system efficiency while mitigating risks.
“Factors that must be considered when predicting accurate deflections include cracking, tension stiffening (and degradation over time), creep, shrinkage, internal restraint from reinforcement and associated shrinkage warping, external restraint and load history” detailed long-term curvature calculations, an application should do the following: • Calculate cracking based on an expected modulus of rupture. For two-way slabs, be sure to account for the variation of stress perpendicular to the span. • Tension stiffening, which is reinforcement that crosses cracks to transfer tension stress back into the concrete between the cracks, should be accounted for using reasonable means. The degradation of this effect, which is significant and believed to occur very rapidly, should also be considered. • Consider the load history of the floor. If the floor is subjected to a load large enough to cause cracking at an early age, all subsequent loadings should consider that the floor has cracked. This affects the stiffness of the system for subsequent
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calculations, as well as the stress distribution that should be used for creep calculations. • Consider creep effects, including creep recursion, which is the redistribution of stresses due to creep (and other effects) being incorporated into future creep calculations. • Consider the restraint to shrinkage from reinforcement on the tension face, which tends to amplify deflections due to loads, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as shrinkage warping. This phenomenon can be handled by reducing the modulus of rupture. However, this approach is somewhat crude because this shrinkage behaviour is not directly associated with loading. A rigorous treatment of this effect is warranted. • Externally restrained shrinkage movements, such
as those that might be caused by rigid shear walls, can cause or influence cracking in a way that affects the stiffness of the system and thus amplifies deflections. Applications such as RAM Concept can account for this effect. Once the long-term curvatures have been calculated, they should be incorporated into the deflection analysis in an appropriate way. Since cracking and long-term deformation can cause redistribution of forces within the floor, ideally the calculations should account for these effects as well. When calculating early age deflections, be cautious of how they are used. Because of the steep gradient of early age creep and shrinkage curves, expect deflections to change rapidly during the early age phase. As such, a small difference in time can result in a relatively large change in deflection. If these
deflections are being used to calculate differential limits, it might be wise to make some conservative assumptions when calculating early age deflections. With the use of available deflection calculation technology and sound engineering judgement, deflection design and evaluation can be carried out in such a way to maximise system efficiency while mitigating risks. Bentley recently acquired Indian firm S-Cube Futuretech’s applications, which include RCDC, RCDC FE, RCDC Plan and Steel Autodrafter. These new offerings further solidify the company’s strong position in the fast-growing global concrete design market. Having tools that provide automated concrete design and detailing is instrumental to helping structural engineers design concrete structures quickly and more efficiently in rapidly growing global cities.
Sector Focus
increase in demand Although the UAE market is currently nearly saturated as far as stationary pumps go, truck-mounted pumps are increasingly in demand.
Primed to PumP
With the Middle East’s penchant for building ever taller, precise delivery of concrete at height is of vital importance at any construction site. Big Project ME looks at how manufacturers of truck-mounted concrete pumps are meeting the market’s demands with machines that are constantly reaching upwards
20 Concrete Report 2018
Sector Focus
Time was when the skeletal remains of half-finished skyscrapers lying abandoned was a common sight that dotted the major cities in the region. Following the boom-fuelled construction spree of the late noughties, the post-bust scenario was a stark contrast that shook the region’s construction sector.
A few years later, when there was hope that the momentum would start to return, the region was again stymied by the crash of oil prices and the Saudi economy – the region’s largest – hitting rough weather. The construction equipment sector saw manufacturers report some of their worst figures last year post the global economic crises of almost a decade ago. Yet, in a show of the resilience of the region, all these woes are now things of the past. In the past few months, projects have gradually started to swing back into motion and the raw innards of some incomplete, derelict construction sites, left ignored for almost a decade, are starting to fill out as activity resumes in the sector. Cities such as Dubai are resdiscovering their appetite to build tall – as seen in the taller-than-Burj Khalifa tower the city announced last year and the topping out, finally, of some supertalls in the Dubai Marina area. The support structure of this new activity in the construction sphere is once again concrete. As the batching plants gradually start whirring and the transit mixers once again start becoming the ubiquitous sights on the region’s roads that they were once upon a time, the truck-mounted concrete pump is also regaining its place as one of the most important pieces of kit in the region. And this time,
Liebherr XXT: eXTra speciaL TechnoLogy Liebherr’s exclusive XXT outrigger system is an innovation that provides specific advantages for everyday applications on building sites. With the narrow support option, the front outriggers can be extended up to the front of the vehicle, allowing a greater working range of up to 70%. This also enables pumping concrete over the operator’s cab, which is a distinct advantage. Other advantages include direct power transmission from boon to outrigger. Also, the XXT design ensures that no forces are directed towards the vehicle frame/chassis by the distributor boom. With only a simple telescoping of the front outrigger, the truck is ready to pump. The front and rear support rotate around the same centre of rotation or pivot, providing optimum possibilities for narrow support and flexible set-up angles. The design also reduces the vehicle’s overall weight by eliminating the entire fulcrum for a separate front outrigger.
reaching new heights seems to be the name of the game. For concrete equipment specialist, Cifa, that’s no problem. The Italian manufacturer is well known for its range of long-boom pump trucks, says a spokesman for the company. Cifa has a three-pronged range of pump trucks - Carbotech, Steeltech and Classic - he tells Big Project ME, the first of which has models that hold the record for the longest booms in the world. “Our Carbotech series of truck pumps are made with a section of their booms fashioned out of carbon fibre, a technology that Cifa has developed and patented. This reduces the weight of the boom, and the truck as a whole, by more than 25%, which means that the truck can have a lower axle weight per axle. This, in turn, means that with the Carbotech system we can mount pumps with higher booms on trucks that are lighter than they would otherwise be, enabling them to meet axle weight restrictions on the roads and reach more job sites.” As an example of the capabilities the Carbotech system brings to Cifa, he reveals that the biggest pump that Cifa can mount on an 8X4 truck today has a a 60m carbon fibre boom. “Our competitors can only mount a maximum of around a 55m boom on the same kind of truck,” the spokesman points out. “The Carbotech line is the most advanced one for us now and is doing great in Europe. It is surely the future for the Middle East. We’ve supplied a 60m Carbotech in KSA, and also in Algeria. We will soon supply a third unit in Qatar and we’re also negotiating for other units in the UAE and other countries.” Thanks to this technology, Cifa today has the biggest pumps ever to be completely mounted on trucks – “like our 80m and
Concrete Report 2018 21
Sector Focus
100m”, says the spokesman. “The 100m pump is already working in the Chinese market. We cannot use it yet in the ME or Europe because of the axle weight regulations on the roads here. The biggest that can work in this region is the 80m, as per the current regulations. We are in negotiations for several of these in the region, which will enter this market in the next two years. “In the Carbotech, we have no competitors at the moment, and that’s because this technomogy was invented by Cifa and we have the patent for it, which gives us exclusive production rights for 10 years. There are still six more years to run on that patent and for that time we will be the only company offering this technology.” Moving on to the Steeltech, he says that it is the company’s standard normal pump in the market. “Like the Carbotech, it is 100% made in Italy. We launched several new products in this range recently, such as the 42m and 55m, with which we are doing great numbers in the region today, thanks to the tech we are putting inside – such as the open circuit of the pumping unit, the high performance of the fast-moving parts inside it, plus the low cost of maintenance. “The Classic is the new series we launched in 2016 for some selected markets, but from 2017 onwards we will be bringing it to the Middle East as well. It is designed by Cifa in our design centre in Italy and has Cifa technology, but it is made in China in our dedicated factory there. So it has great performance and all the characteristics of our brand, but it competes on a value proposition against the Chinese and Korean manufacturers on the market.” Meanwhile, at another European manufacturer, Leibherr, the good times are beginning to
22 Concrete Report 2018
LaTicreTe supercap: pumping ouT oF The boX Laticrete’s newest launch is the Supercap nextgeneration pump truck. According to Sujit Singh, the Laticrete Supercap system ensures safer jobsites for contractors and workers by dramatically reducing harmful silica dust, eliminating manual loading and lifting, and minimising trip/slip hazards. The next-generation pump truck takes finishing new concrete or capping existing slabs to the next level. With the computercontrolled mobile blending unit (MBU), blending is done on-site with a perfect mix every time, and the pump truck can continuously deliver up to 15t of material per hour to all kinds of buildings and high rises up to 50 storeys. This significantly increases productivity on-site. No unmixed materials ever enter the building, and the output is up to 13,600kg per hour. This translates into faster turnover of each floor plate and because of that, all respective construction trades can be back on the floor the very next day.
utilising technology Technological advances are playing an increasingly important role in making concrete pumps safer and more efficient.
roll in. Ali Kassem, regional sales manager, Concrete Equipment Division Middle East, tells Big Project ME that 2016 was a year that began on a tough note but ended well – a sentiment that carried on into 2017. new business
“Pumps is a new business for Leibherr,” he says. “We came into this category when Liebherr acquired German pump specialist Waitzinger some five years ago. We have only sold pumps in Saudi Arabia in the GCC in the past
through Leibherr’s KSA arm, but things are looking better for the rest of the region now with more deliveries planned for the coming months in the UAE,” Kassem says. Like Cifa, Liebherr, also has its own patented technology in its pumps, namely the XXT outrigger system, which reduces the four pivot points for the four outriggers to only two with a front outrigger that collapses into the rear one. This greatly improves stability and the ability to operate in confined spaces, including the ability to pump over the head of the truck
Sector Focus
ciFa record-breaker: highLy pumped Cifa-Zoomlion has received the Guinness World Record for the tallest concrete pump, with a boom of 101m. It topples the previous record of 86m held by Sany. Prior to that pump, Zoomlion had been the holder of the record, with an 80m pump. The feat was a result of cooperation between Italian
cab, says Leibherr (see box). “Our range consists of the 37, 43, 47 and 50m models, all XXT. Of these, the 43m was delivered to the UAE late last year,” Kassem says. Changing the game somewhat is Laticrete, which manufactures the Supercap - a wholly enclosed pump truck used for achieving precision concrete levelling. A spokesperson for the company says that with the traditional method of pouring concrete, it is difficult to get the most precise levelling in the final finished stage. The Supercap uses a selflevelling material that goes on top of the concrete to provide a super smooth surface, he adds. The technology was developed by Laticrete in the US, and its main feature is that the pump truck has an on-board generator, so its doesn’t need any external power source. The mixing is also done inside the truck, using an internal water system, which eliminates the spread of hazardous silica dust. “Apart from safety, the benefits include big savings in labour costs and time, as the Supercap can cover 6,000sqm in eight hours with only four workers, whereas conventionally, to level the same area in the same time manually, you would require around 50 people.” As the major manufacturers
keep new models rolling in, they are also paying attention to the service side of things. At Cifa, the manufacturer’s dealer footprint covers 90% of the Middle East region, and will be extended to the remaining region. “Also, we have a branch in Jebel Ali, Dubai, which we have made into our support hub with a huge stock of spare parts that we can deliver to our dealers throughout the region in less than 24 hours. We also have service technicians who can support our dealers, helping them to support the end-user better,” Cifa’s spokesman says. “With a focus on the region, we will also participate in the The Big 5 Heavy in Dubai this year, with a dedicated Cifa stand for concrete products, where we will present our whole dealer network in the region to the market.” Liebherr, on the other hand, has its Saudi operations to fall back on as a back-up for pump spare parts, while it also stocks parts at its Jebel Ali facility. “We have three service engineers in our Jebel Ali office,” says Kassem. “They are always flying around the GCC and their new responsibility includes looking after our pumps. Going ahead, we have plans of deploying technicians locally in every market in the region that we sell our pumps in.”
and Chinese engineers and was unveiled at Zoomlion’s headquarters in the industrial city of Changsha, China. The pump has a sevensection boom, with the last four sections built from carbon fibre. The pump structure is mounted on an ordinary vehicle chassis, not on a special vehicle, meaning it complies with the maximum dimensions and footprints
imposed for road transport. “The carbon used in the Zoomlion-Cifa 101 pump has a high modulus of elasticity and is a very different material from the one used in the Carbotech range to date,” says Mauro Cortellini, technical area manager at Cifa. “There are obviously many other innovative solutions, which we will evaluate at the internal testing stage.”
Concrete Report 2018 23
Industry insight
AdApting to demAnd
Big Project ME speaks to Paul Bruns, regional director of Putzmeister Middle East, about the firm’s regional plans, and the industry outlook for the concrete sector in 2018
Service-oriented approach A key factor in Putzmeister’s success has been its strong network of distributors, as well as its service-oriented approach, Paul Bruns says.
24 Concrete Report 2018
How do you assess the performance of the construction sector and the demand for concrete in the UAE and the GCC at present?
The current situation in the GCC is still tough. The overall supply of equipment on the ground and raw materials alike still exceeds the demand. In addition, we see ourselves confronted with financial and regulatory
Industry insight
challenges, such as the VAT introduction in the UAE and KSA, as well as the shift to EURO 4 emission norm in the UAE for heavy-duty trucks, versus a shift to EURO 3 in the remaining GCC countries. These initiatives are in principle very good, but confront us at the moment with logistical constraints which have not been there in the past.
My personal outlook for the UAE and the GCC remains, however, promising. The UAE has ambitious plans for the upcoming Expo 2020, and the Agenda 2030 in Saudi Arabia bears good potential for premium machinery suppliers who have developed a value proposition together with their local partners and offers long-term cost savings for the industry. What is your forecast for the industry in the GCC for the rest of 2018 and early 2019, and longer-term (2020 and beyond)?
I do believe that the number of concrete suppliers has reached a critical mass and not all can be considered premium. At the same time, the public appetite for regulation of the sector when it comes to quality and safety of ready-mix operations has grown. For us as Putzmeister, celebrating this year our 60th anniversary and being present in the GCC over 40 years, this development offers good potential to support our customers in making sure that they can cope with the future operational requirements and safety standards being introduced by the respective authorities. At the same time, I do not expect similar sales figures for truck-mounted concrete pumps as achieved in the GCC in 2014 and 2015 to come back anytime soon. Please elaborate on Putzmeister’s performance in 2016-17. Were there any significant milestones or achievements?
The Putzmeister Dubai office has put a lot of emphasis on the development of localised training programs for our distributors, customers and operators. In 2016 and 2017, we trained more than 600 concrete
rIyAdH mETro: BACS (a consortium consisting of Bechtel, Almabani, Consolidated Contractors Company and Siemens) will be responsible for the design and build of Lines 1 and 2 of the Riyadh metro network. These two lines will form part of the sixline metro system that will run for a total length of 176km across the city and include 85 stations. Almost the complete set of Putzmeister concrete equipment is being used at the moment on the Riyadh Metro project in Saudi Arabia. Truck-mounted concrete pump M 56-5 pumps the concrete vertically into a shaft to a BSA 1409 D. From the BSA, a SK 125 delivery line runs into the tunnel and ends on a slab formwork to feed several RV 12 lifts. The job-site is a cooperation between Saudi Arabian Putzmeister dealer Medco, Putzmeister, Doka and Al Falwa Ready Mix.
pump operators coming from 250 companies in the GCC. An important element of our training courses is not only to demonstrate the operation of our machines, but also to provide a better understanding for the operators and mechanics of how to reduce the service costs and maintain a good level of safety on the jobsite while using Putzmeister original spare parts. Using untested non-warrantable pirate parts from unknown sources for a machine which costs more than $500,000 does not make any commercial sense. What are Putzmeister’s plans and projections for the rest of 2018? What are your goals and expectations for the regional market?
We will be launching our new 47m truck-mounted concrete pump with Ergonic 2 this month. The BSF 47-5.16 HLS will be displayed at different venues, such as the MB New Actros & Arocs Launch Event, The Big 5 and an open house event from our distributor, German Gulf Enterprises, in April. A pilot unit was sold one year ago in the UAE market, and the customer feedback so far is excellent. In addition, the new remote system will allow much easier operation and practically 0% downtime in case the remote is no longer operable. What are your plans for The Big 5 Heavy and Intermat 2018? What is the global outlook for the construction machinery sector in general and Putzmeister in particular?
We will set our focus on the various product lines Putzmeister can offer during The Big 5. The first thing that comes
Concrete Report 2018 25
Industry insight Specific features for the region Putzmeister’s truck-mounted concrete pumps are equipped with a MIddle East kit, which consists of features allowing safe and smooth operation of the machines, keeping in mind the high ambient temperatures in the GCC.
dIsTrIBUTor:
“We have ambitious plans for the next three years, and Putzmeister can be expected to continue to lead innovation and operational support for our customers” to mind when you hear Putzmeister is the world record in high-rise pumping at the Burj Khalifa and our beautiful truckmounted concrete pumps. However, Putzmeister also sells and services an impressive number of mortar machines and truck mixers, as well as specialised pumps for industrial and underground applications such as waste treatment, mining, oil & gas and tunnelling. It is one of our key success factors that we do not stand simply on one leg in this region, and our service-oriented approach, along with a good network of
26 Concrete Report 2018
distributors, makes Putzmeister a reliable business partner. What new equipment did you introduce in 2017, globally and in the GCC? Will any new products be introduced this year?
We have ambitious plans for the next three years, and Putzmeister can be expected to continue to lead innovation and operational support for our customers of all our product lines. do you customise your products to make them suitable for the middle Eastern market? If so, what are some of the features that are required
by customers in this region?
Our truck-mounted concrete pumps are equipped with a Middle East Kit consisting of features allowing safe and smooth operation of our machines, considering the high ambient temperatures in the GCC as well as the performance expectation of the operators. When it comes to pumped concrete in CBM, we are far above the European average per annum in the GCC, which means our machines need to handle much more load. The expectations of our customers here cannot be met if you use the same specifications as in your domestic market.
German Gulf Enterprises Ltd, the exclusive UAE distributor for Putzmeister Concrete Pumps GmbHGermany, has undergone a management change, with parent company Bukhatir Investments Ltd acquiring all shares from the minority shareholders of the company. Under the leadership of Salah Bukhatir, chairman, Bukhatir Investments Ltd, the company aspires to accelerated growth on the foundation of delivering blue chip products and services to valued clients. German Gulf and Putzmeister have been partners for over four decades, pioneering the concrete pump industry in the UAE through innovation and best-in-class technology. This foundation has seen German Gulf Enterprises grow organically, and under Bukhatir leadership can expect greater results for the future.
If it’s Cement
it’s “Super” Super Cement Manufacturing Company L.L.C. is a Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS) grinding, quick lime and Hydrated lime Manufacturing Unit, which is located in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD-1).
has recently s t a r t e d manufacturing high grade Hydrated Lime in the same facility with a capacity of 7,000 tons per month.
Super Cement Manufacturing Co. is the biggest importer of high quality Granulated The grinding capacity of Super Cement Company Blast Furnace Slag from Japan. is 1,400,000 metric tons of slag per year. The company has been promoted jointly by the Blast Furnace Slag is a by-product of iron and following eminent industrialists: steel manufacturing industries but it is an important value-added ingredient of Cement Mr. Ali Hamel Al Ghaith (UAE National) Concrete that is used in all modern construction. Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal (Indian National) Super Cement is currently manufacturing Quick Lime in the form of lumps and powder at the capacity of 18,000 Tons per month for the local and international 33-34 FR6, ICAD-1 markets. The Mussafah Industrial Area company P .O. Box 132595, Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 5502458 Fax: +971 2 5502203 Email: ishan@supercement.co
www.supercement.ae
Mr. Ali Hamal Al Ghaith belongs to Al Ghaith Holding PJSC (AGH), which is a major family business house in the Middle East. Mr. Ali is actively involved in various businesses such as Caustic Soda in Abu Dhabi, oil and gas construction through Al Ghaith Oil & Gas Construction Co. L.L.C, Al Ghaith Shinyang Shipping and Al Ghaith Salt.
operating successful businesses in the field of Steel Rolling Mill, Coke Oven, Ferroalloys and Mining Operations.
With the support of his sons Hitesh & Ishan they have expanded the group and have managed to achieve their first milestone by crossing the 100 million dollars annual turnover mark of their group. They are aggressively expanding their operations in the UAE and a few other countries. They have even established a successful transportation Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal is a young and dynamic company being their latest venture and are entrepreneur of Indian origin who has vast currently focused to kick-start their next 2 experiencein commissioning and projects in the coming quarter.
Industry Insight
Ensuring coordination Wajih Eit says his main target is to ensure smooth and complete coordination among the different business units operating under the ZITC umbrella.
Zooming forwards
Wajih Eit, GM of Zoomlion Gulf, discusses how CIFA and Zoomlion are positioning themselves in a market where demand for concrete is rising
How do you assess the performance of the construction sector and the demand for concrete in the UAE and the GCC at present?
The demand for concrete in the region is quite different from a country to another. While in Saudi Arabia it’s lower than previous years, in the UAE there’s a huge demand for concrete, especially in Dubai, where different big projects were launched recently and are under construction already. The same we can say also in Kuwait – important investments in the construction sector were released in 2017, which of course increased the concrete demand.
28 Concrete Report 2018
What is your forecast for the rest of 2018 and early 2019, and on a longer-term basis (2020 and beyond)?
The GCC is in continuous development, with really ambitious projects already in place and others to be released soon. In 2016, the GCC markets started to live a real critical period (second only to the 2008 global crisis), due mainly to the fall in oil prices and the political situation in the region. The negative impact was well absorbed and local governments launched their long-term future visions, where we started to see some positive effects already in 2018. And it’ll continue in 2019, while we believe that from 2020
all GCC markets will recover even better that what it was in 2015. What are your targets for Zoomlion Gulf, having taken over as GM a few months ago?
Our group (Zoomlion, based in China) is one of the biggest worldwide machinery suppliers in different sectors, where of course construction machinery is one of the pillars. Different leading European companies were acquired by Zoomlion in the past years, such as CIFA SpA (Italy), one of the three global leaders in concrete equipment. One of the strategies of our group was to unify all the construction machinery business units under
ZITC’s [Zoomlion International Trading Company, based in Hong Kong] umbrella, looking after the overseas markets outside China, with teams that are following different regions in the world for the whole product range. Zoomlion Gulf FZE is a 10,000sqm subsidiary that was established in Jebel Ali (Dubai) already 10 years ago, where our new team already in place is covering the whole Middle East. We know very well that any project requires different equipment, so my main target today is to ensure smooth and complete coordination among the different business units we have (Concrete Equipment,
Industry Insight
Tower Cranes, Mobile Cranes, Earthmoving and Piling Machineries) inside our team, and to give a complete solution to our customers with the high-level support, service and follow-up. Can you discuss the changes with regard to CIFA and how Zoomlion will handle its business?
CIFA’s business in the Middle East will be handled by our team that already consists of locals, Italian and Chinese associates that have moved with their families to live in the region and get closer to our customers/dealers, and this is what happened to me personally when I moved to live in the UAE at the end of July 2017. Already today, CIFA is enjoying a very high level of dealer network in the region. In order to support them properly and consequently our end users, we’re invested not only in human resources, but also in spare parts. Our hub in Zoomlion Gulf today is already completed to deliver CIFA parts to the whole region in less than 24 hours. Our strategy for the UAE market in 2018 will be direct selling to end users, having onboard a complete team of sales, engineers and technicians, besides the stock of parts and machines suitable to cover the whole region, not only the UAE. Our main target is to give full support to our dealers by having a dedicated team following their business (we have people in different countries in the GCC), and the stock of machines and parts to shorten delivery time and reduce their investments in terms of inventory. However, for the UAE market only, we decided to have a direct sales strategy and ensure that we have all that is needed (subsidiary, dedicated team, inventory, investments and focus on our products) within the country.
What are your plans for The Big 5 Heavy in Dubai and INTERMAT 2018? What is the global outlook for the construction machinery sector in general?
We’ll be present as CIFA at the 2018 edition of The Big 5 Heavy in Dubai and at INTERMAT in Paris. CIFA is unique in providing complete solutions of concrete equipment, starting from concrete production (batching plants), transportation (transit mixers), pumping (truck pumps, stationary pumps, placing booms) and tunnelling. 2018 is also a special year for CIFA, as we’ll celebrate our 90th birthday. As such, each exhibition will have its own plans. At The Big 5 Heavy, we would like to introduce our new local organisation and team to the region’s markets, for example. But the common target everywhere we’re exhibiting is to deliver the strong messages mentioned before, of being a complete solution provider and having a long history in the concrete field.
“One of the strategies of our group was to unify all the construction machinery business units under ZITC’s umbrella, looking after the overseas markets outside China, with teams that are following different regions in the world for the whole product range”
What new equipment did you introduce in 2017, globally and in the GCC? Will any new products be introduced this year?
Over the last 10 years, CIFA has, thanks to the Zoomlion Group, invested a lot in its products and facilities. 2.5% of our yearly turnover is reinvested in R&D; many patented technologies have been designed, tested and launched recently, such as carbon fibre technology in truck pumps, hybrid mixers and tunnelling machines, ultra-mobile batching plants and so on. We don’t only focus on new technologies, but also on the dedicated series of products for each market. For the MENA region, we have already developed a complete range of products (heavy-duty mixers, steeltech and classic pumps). Following the same trend of the last few years, in Q3 2018 we will be launching a new concrete pump model that we are sure will have a very positive impact in the market, but for the time being I would like to keep it unrevealed. Products for the region A complete range of products has been specifically developed for the MENA region, including heavyduty mixers, steeltech and classic pumps.
Concrete Report 2018 29
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The Big 5 heavy
Running 26-28 March 2018 at Dubai World Trade Centre, the launch edition of The Big 5 Heavy brings together construction machinery manufacturers, concrete suppliers and industry heavyweights for a stand-alone exhibition
Positive outlook With more than 3,000 construction projects in the pipeline across the region, demand for concrete solutions is going to intensify over the next few years.
The latest technologies and innovations have continued to revolutionise almost all aspects of the construction industry over the past few years. As GCC countries diversify their economies away from oil to other alternative sources of revenue, there is a significant need for cost-efficient techniques and time-saving solutions in the construction industry. The concrete sector is the backbone of sustainable construction, and precast is emerging as a technology that offers sustainability, flexibility and is highly beneficial. Moreover, it is also being recognised as a financially prudent option. As per recent media sources, precast concrete components can be 10% cheaper to manufacture compared to the alternatives available. 30 Concrete Report 2018
According to BNC Intelligence, there are over 22,700 ongoing projects, worth $2.5 trillion, in the GCC construction sector. This is set to spur growth in building material demand, which ensures that the region’s concrete suppliers and manufacturers have much to look forward to. As per BNC Project Intelligence, there is over $770 billion worth of projects under construction in the GCC, and over $650 billion worth of projects in the early stages of the project lifecycle. Looking at these hefty numbers, it’s expected that the demand for concrete solutions will see a boost in coming years. Some prominent projects in construction or about to kick off construction involve rail systems, highways and roads, all of which require concrete material and precast products like pre-stressed
“The outlook for concrete and precast in the region is definitely positive, and numbers prove it. Last year, the GCC witnessed a 50.2% increase in the total value of tender announcements”
beams and road barriers. GCC urban construction has active projects worth over $1.2 trillion, involving buildings, schools, hospitals, hotels and retail facilities. All such projects involve heavy consumption of construction material like concrete, bricks and other structural material. The Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing Market 2017-2027 report reveals that significant opportunities lie ahead for the world’s concrete manufacturers. Up to 2.79 billion units of concrete blocks and bricks are expected to be produced around the world by the end of 2027. “The figures outlined by the BNC Report ahead of The Big 5 Heavy are absolutely in line with the pulse of the market and with what we hear from local and international industry
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players we connect with on a daily basis. Indeed, one of the key takeaways from the Innovation in Precast Summit we organised last November at The Big 5 is that the UAE is the place to be right now for professionals from the concrete industry, as the country embraces more efficient, sustainable and effective building solutions while it embarks on huge infrastructure developments,” says Richard Pavitt, event director of The Big 5 Heavy at dmg events Middle East, Asia and Africa. With all such construction projects on course and a substantial number of projects already under construction, the GCC market foresees growing demand for materials and solutions. “The outlook for concrete and precast in the region is definitely positive, and numbers prove it. Last year, the GCC witnessed a 50.2% increase in the total value of tender announcements. That’s a tremendous growth. With over 3,000 construction projects in the pipeline across the region, demand for concrete solutions is going to intensify in the coming years,” Pavitt adds. A new beginning Running 26-28 March 2018 at Dubai World Trade Centre, The Big 5 Heavy is packed with a wealth of local and international exhibitors, CPD-certified content and a huge outside demonstration area. Previously running alongside The Big 5, Middle East Concrete and PMV Live, this year it is a stand-alone event. Organised to effectively cater to the needs of the concrete, construction, mining and quarrying machinery industries, The Big 5 Heavy 2018 is bringing a dedicated trade platform to property developers, local municipalities and government authorities. Who to see? The Big 5 Heavy is hosting
ThE BiG 5 hEAvy: AN OvErviEW With the GCC currently responsible for 68% of all active projects in the MENA region, the launch of The Big 5 Heavy, the largest construction event in the entire Middle East, is filled with promise and vigour. According to the BNC Network for The Big 5 Heavy, there are 22,902 active projects in the GCC alone, valued at $2.4 trillion. Revealing that the total value of tender announcements increased substantially in 2017 by 50.2% further cements the crucial role of heavy machinery towards building the skylines of tomorrow. Eduard Faig, Regional Sales Manager at exhibiting auction house Ritchie Bros., comments: “There are a lot of major construction projects on the agenda at the moment, including the Dubai World Expo, construction of major airports, large infrastructure projects in Oman, Saudi and more. Of course, these are great opportunities for the builders in the region that will, in some way or another, cascade down to the heavy equipment industry in the form of supply and demand.”
over 300 exhibitors from 27 exhibiting countries, spread across dedicated product sectors: Middle East Concrete, PMV Live, Foundations & Geotechnical, and Mining & Quarrying. Leading brands include the world’s largest construction machinery manufacturer, Caterpillar (represented by Al Bahar, the exclusive dealer in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain). CIFA and Liebherr join the line-up to showcase concrete pumps, alongside the event’s official lubricant sponsor, Caltex, exhibiting its premium range of lubricants for heavy machinery. A variety of cranes are also brought to the trade floor by Hitachi and Raimondi. Education Agenda A packed agenda of free conferences and workshops designed to educate and assist construction professionals in their jobs offer attendees valuable CPD (continued professional development). Conferences include the Concrete Essentials Seminar Series, presented by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), a two-day educational event taking place on March 26 and 27. It provides participants with an in-depth look into topics including concrete durability, repair and self-consolidating concrete, among others. The seminar series also features a three-part course on the ACI Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete. Under a recently signed agreement with the GCC Standardisation Organisation, this will be used to develop a Gulf Building Code. Geotechnical & Foundations Engineering Summit In conjunction with the Deep Foundations Institute and sponsored by Total Foundations Solutions, the Geotechnical & Foundations Engineering Summit held on 27 March covers issues
surrounding Sub-surface Civil Works; Data Management for Ground Engineering Applications; Instrumentation & Monitoring Systems – Successful Case Studies; Standardisation & Legislation Practices; Ground Improvement; and Deep Foundation and Design Challenges. The conference is aimed at civil and structural engineers who want to broaden their knowledge on geotechnical issues specific to the Middle East. Project Management The project management CPD-certified workshops give a comprehensive overview of practices, overcoming risk, financial planning and critical success factors, to name a few, providing a sound base for project managers to work from. Mining & Quarrying Mining CPD-certified workshops are aimed at energy professionals who want to gain a greater understanding of the operational practices pivotal to the mining industry. The workshops cover efficient mining practices, health and safety guidelines, and challenges faced by quarry managers, along with case studies across the region. The Big 5 Heavy is free to attend. Running 10am-6pm daily at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the event features a ‘Grill & Chill’ refreshments area where visitors and exhibitors can network. Sponsors and partners supporting The Big 5 Heavy 2018 include Caltex (lubricant sponsor), the Deep Foundations Institute (geotech knowledge partner), Total Foundations Solutions (geotechnical sponsor), Deewan (concrete equipment sponsor), Hard Precast (precast sponsor) and Stevin Rock (mining & quarrying sponsor). To find out more about The Big 5 Heavy 2018, visit www. thebig5heavy.com. Concrete Report 2018 31
Last Word
The Role of Temporary Works is Changing Paul Williams, divisional operations director at RMD Kwikform, outlines how technology has helped manage the changing demands of construction In recent years, the role of suppliers has changed as client and main contractors require more visibility and data from their construction sites. Due to the requirements of BIM and the adoption of digital processes, it is no longer the role of a temporary works business to simply provide formwork and shoring. At RMD Kwikform, it is now our responsibility to interact with the entire supply chain to support the overall method of construction, including its design and processes.
We recognised some years back that the industry would move away from 2D drawings. It has been a slow trend, but as we work closer with customers, particularly on larger infrastructure projects, it’s clear that 3D drawings should now be standard practice. We quickly learned that in order to better service our customers, and by extension their clients, we must evolve and work
32 Concrete Report 2018
“It has been a slow trend, but as we work closer with customers, particularly on larger infrastructure projects, it’s clear that 3D drawings should now be standard practice”
smarter alongside them. RMD Kwikform has since evolved its 3D capabilities and designed solutions to automate highly realistic rendered 3D models, using an in-house developed visualisation tool, LocusEye. These models can be viewed on a PC, iPad or mobile phone, providing customers with a realistic model of how any solution looks on-site. Flexible in functionality, LocusEye allows changes to be made instantly and solutions to be re-examined. The industry needs smart solutions, and with the growing adoption of BIM, mandatory on major projects, our customers are now demanding IFC BIM-compliant models of our temporary works solutions. In response to our customers’ needs, we’re now building, automating and converting 3D AutoCAD models into IFC BIM-compliant models. Through this system, on-site clashes
can be detected and data can be captured to better manage equipment and plan construction phasing. RMD Kwikform’s new visualisation tool, LocusEye, has already been used across a number of national and international projects, including a number of Access Towers in Saudi Arabia, the UK’s Mersey Gateway and University College London Hospital, and a museum project in the UAE. Some of the feedback we’ve already had is around the responsiveness of the models and how easy they are to interrogate. However, more importantly, we’ve seen how much of a positive impact this has had in allowing main contractors to visualise the overall management, build ability and future planning of a site. Any construction site needs to be flexible; it’s just the nature of the job, the site demands change. With BIM-compliant models and through LocusEye,
our customers are able to see what impact said change will have on a site. How does this change and affect planned phasing; how does it impact delivery of equipment? As the models are already embedded in the BIM model, our customers are able to manipulate processes, change phasing and target specific elements of any model. This puts control back in the contractor’s hands and grants complete visibility. With BIM-compliant packages and the added advantage of LocusEye, customers can use their own tacit knowledge to look at practicalities for delivery, erection and dismantling of kit, where access and egress can be placed, and how the temporary works solution accommodates other works on-site. It’s all about the better management of the site in order to ensure even safer working practices, and ultimately reduce time and costs.
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